Absolute Confusion
by sardonyx ichigo
Summary: It was hard enough understanding what drove Monkey.D. Luffy the first time, but the second time-now that's absolute confusion. A slightly smarter Luffy has time traveled, let the confusion begin...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I will never own One Piece.**

**Please Read:** I'm working to get a beta-reader for this story, but as of yet no one has answered my requests, so until I get one, I hope my own poor attempts at grammar don't stop you from enjoying 'Absolute Confusion.'(**Updated- Now Have modestfox as beta reader**).

Edited: June 3, 2011

_**Chapter 00- Bouncing Back**_

The Pirate King nodded, and turned away from the new rookies entering the New World, it was nothing new, and frankly he didn't care. His floating island moved from its location on the sea regularly, and sometimes he'd end up at the entrance of the New World every once in a while.

Of course, as good as Luffy's luck was, he would regularly be spotted by the rookies and give them the scare of their lives. It was all in good fun but, as with all things in his life, the novelty of his gestures had been starting to lose the fun they once inspired.

Pirates were swarming into the Grand Line more then ever before, and about once a week Shanks, Whitebeard or one of the other four kings would come to his island for their chance to beat the Pirate King, though it was really ironic. Luffy's crew had beaten them at finding One Piece, and now the world was after him day in and day out.

Some days it was the Marines, other days it was some of his friends that he'd made over the years, but most of the time it was some stuck-up pirate thinking they were going to be lucky and get rich beating the most infamous pirate on the sea. Yeah, right. That was Luffy's personality, and stupid dumb luck not theirs.

"Luffy?" Luffy blinked, and turned to the voice...except no one was there...

Luffy sighed.

He was really starting to get tired of hearing his dead friends call for him. Maybe Ace was right, he was losing it...Oh well. It's not like anyone important would know...

Vivi was gone-dead of an incurable disease, as was Ace. Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji has all passed ten years ago from old age. Chopper caught the recent epidemic sickness while making the rounds about five years ago before slipping into a coma, and then dying. Robin had been cut down saving a small girl, and the rest well...they were alive but they all had their own lives, and he was an outlaw, even if the people didn't treat him as such.

"Luffy! Are you there?" Luffy looked around.

Still nothing.

Maybe the voices would go away if he ate lots of meat and went to bed.

Luffy drooled thinking about it, yeah that was it...

He jumped off the branch he had been sitting at and walked the short distance to his house, passing by all the other rooms, and climbing into bed, not even caring about locking up, or paying any mind to the amount of clatter gathered in his room.

He climbed into bed waiting as the first hints of sleep overcame him. His tiredness coming off his body in waves. He had no dreams, in his peaceful slumber, and the darkness was so peaceful, so welcome in the face of everything he'd endured thus far... he was so comfortable, and so warm...

"Luffy? Are you there?"

There was the voice again, Luffy turned over in his sleep, and tried his best to ignore the voice, he wasn't going to listen to them not anymore.

"Come on, get up!" He felt someone shake him roughly.

Luffy snapped up at the touch and centered in on the voice,and blinked, and blinked again. There was absolutely no way he was seeing who he thought he was. Maybe he was still dreaming... He punched his cheek, fully expecting no pain, but it was not to be. His cheek slapped back to his face, making him aware of reality.

Yes, he was awake, and yes his older brother Ace was standing in front of looking no older then ten or eleven.

(End of Chapter)

_**A/N: Maybe not the best chapter, but hopefully a good enough chapter for the readers... Constructive Crit. is welcome, but please don't just say grammar in general- I know I'm horrible, point out specific things if the grammar brothers you that much...**_

_**THANK YOU modestfox-san for the beta-ing.**_

_**Please Read and Review.**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.**

**Please Read**: I could not get in touch with my beta-reader, so I'll post this and hope my own poor attempts at grammar don't stop you from enjoying 'Absolute Confusion chapter 1 (or is it 2?).'

_Thoughts _of characters

Edited: June 3, 2011

_**Chapter 01: Changing Tides**_

"Come on, get up!" He felt someone shake him roughly.

Luffy snapped up at the touch and centered in on the voice, and blinked, and blinked again. There was absolutely no way he was seeing who he thought he was. Maybe he was still dreaming... He punched his cheek, fully expecting no pain, but it was not to be. His cheek slapped back to his face, making him aware of reality.

Yes, he was awake, and yes his older brother Ace was standing in front of him looking no older than ten or eleven.

He blinked once, and then again. Ace raised an eyebrow at Luffy strange...well stranger than usual behavior.

"Luffy?" There was still no reply.

Ace moved closer and placed his hand on the future Pirate King's forehead.

_'He's not sick_.' He thought closely observing Luffy for any signs of sickness.

Ace found nothing; unfortunately his observations were solely on Luffy's well being and not the switch of Luffy's moods, as time travel went from shock to pure delight. So the narcoleptic was unprepared for the bone crushing hug that Luffy delivered after having gotten over his shock.

Ace was nearly thrown to the ground, but managed to stay on his feet as his little brother cling to him tightly. Ace didn't struggle though, and let Luffy seek the comfort he needed.

_'Maybe Luffy had a nightmare? He hadn't eaten very much yesterday, having been caught up the excitement of finally seeing Shanks soon.'_

Soon enough, Luffy released his hold on the future fire user, and stepped back, smiling his usual toothy smile. If Ace was confused at Luffy's behavior earlier, his was beyond confused at Luffy's sudden smile, and quietness. Luffy was never quiet, that was a concrete fact yet, here it was.

"Ace?" Luffy said after a couple of seconds, breaking the cycle of Ace's thoughts, his face looked into the confused eyes of Ace. "Big brother?"

Ace looked up from his thoughts and straight into Luffy's eyes. '_Was Luffy worried about me?'_

"Are you asleep with your eyes open?" Luffy finally concluded waving his hand in front of the other (future) pirate. Ace sighed, and carefully held back the urge to smack Luffy upside the head. "Of course, I wasn't asleep with my eyes open, I was worrying about you." Ace said smacking his face; he was only slept with his eyes close.

"Um, Ace? I'm hungry! What's there to eat?" Ace sweat dropped. _'Maybe I'm over-analyzing things_...'

By the end of breakfast, Ace's thoughts about over-analyzing the situation were thrown out the window. Sure Luffy still ate like he hadn't eaten in weeks, sure he was grinning like there was no tomorrow, but the fact that Luffy said 'please' and 'thank you' when he was given food, and then when he was finished he washed his dishes, left Ace gaping at his little brother.

Luffy very rarely did any housework, as he was horrible at cleaning in general, but here he was scrubbing at the dishes with the practice of someone who had done the chores hundreds of time, and was an expert at it.

There was no splashed water on the floor and Luffy neatly assemble the dishes back into the cabinets after he dried and polished them. Not one dish was broken, and Luffy hadn't even complained about doing the dishes, he simply went to work like it was routine, something Ace knew was NOT possible, he did the dishes not Luffy.

Then there were the manners to consider... _'Who had finally installed them into his clueless brother? It couldn't be Makino, she stopped trying to teach Luffy when he was four, saying that it was part of his 'charm', and I couldn't be the one, I stopped with lessons on manners shortly after Makino did...'_

Ace carefully placed his utensils down. _'Asking Luffy would save a lot of time, and it wasn't like Luffy could keep a secret_.'

When that thought in mind, Ace picked up his fork, and continued eating making sure to keep a close on Luffy for anything else unusual.

When Luffy got to the table after chasing Ace into the kitchen, he found a plate with several sandwiches, along with an apple and a glass of milk placed in front of him. Luffy smiled up at Ace, and remembered the manners Robin taught him. He made sure to say 'please' and 'thank you'.

Even if his crew wasn't here, he didn't want to be out of practice, and end up being smacked in the face by Nami. He shivered remembering the time Nami showed him how she felt about his lack of manners. She was scary, but luckily he had Robin to teach him.

And then, there was the dishes, Sanji was a brilliant cook, but he was a slave master when it came to washing the dishes, and who would do them. Unluckily, that job usually fell to him and Usopp as everyone else was too busy or too 'lovely' to do them.

Still remembering those times brought a smile back to his face as he continued washing. He missed his friends, but he knew he'd meet them again, even if he really didn't understand how he could seven again, or Ace could still be alive. But that really didn't matter either, if this was illusion, he was happy just to be in Ace's presence. He'd missed his older brother, and his cooking, even if it wasn't up to Sanji's stranded.

Though the searching looks Ace kept throwing in his direction made Luffy curious about what he'd done wrong. Luffy couldn't think of anything off the top of his head but who knew with Ace.

Luffy polished and placed the last dish away, before turning to meet his brother's eyes. Ace smiled softly at his brother and placed his dishes in the sink before grasping Luffy's hand and leading him to the front door. Luffy was oblivious to where they were going, but found he didn't care much about that either. He just wondered casually why'd he didn't have his Gum Gum Powers anymore. It'd been a part of him for a long time, and being without them made him feel weird, and off balance-

"Luffy?" Luffy glanced up at Ace. "Earlier you said your manners...and did the dishes. Who taught you that?"

Luffy smirked, he never did explain to his brother about what he'd learned from his crew. "Robin taught me manners, and Sanji dishes."

"I see." Ace said closing the conversation, and walking faster, but it was a lie, he really didn't understand.

_'Who were Robin, and Sanji? Robin was a name,'_ Ace knew that for sure, _'but it was a name he'd never heard before. Sanji could mean the time (1) and not an actual person, but he couldn't be sure about that either. He was back to square one.'_

"Ace, Luffy, great timing!" A voice said, Ace snapped out of his thoughts and glanced up. It was Makino from the Tavern. She was wearing her usual clothes of black shirt and a dark blue jeans long skirt with sneakers.

Ace greeted her, while Luffy focused on her comment. "What timing? What's going on?"

Makino smiled. "I just heard that Shanks' crew just docked, knowing them they're probably heading this way for their usual. If you hurry, you could meet up with them." She said looking pointy at Luffy.

The Straw Hat captain nodded but didn't move. He really did want to see Shanks again but he didn't want to leave Ace, and from the sound of this conversation Ace wasn't going to go with him, if he went to Shanks'. He smiled hesitantly at the two.

Silence for a second, before Ace turned to look at Luffy. "Go on, I'll see you later." He reassured Luffy.

"You're not coming?" Luffy shot back easily picking out Ace's reluctance to even be in Shanks' presence, even through Ace trusted the Pirate Captain with the well-being of his little brother.

"I can't I need to do some errands." Ace said instantly as if he'd said this dozens of times. Luffy guessed he had as even when he became Pirate King, Ace was never in the same area as Shanks, though Luffy couldn't guess why. "Hurry Luffy or you'll miss Shanks and have to deal with him drunk." Ace encouraged.

Luffy was still hesitant but left them and started to run in the direction of the docks. He trusted Ace, but that look in his eyes, he was keeping secrets, dangerous secrets he didn't trust Luffy with...and that hurt deep down.

(End of Chapter)

1) Sanji can mean '3 o'clock.'

_**A/N: Hope you've enjoyed the chapter; it was really hard at points but really enjoyable overall. Ace has been introduce to some major confusion in this chapter, and doesn't get anywhere in trying to figure out what going on. Yeah, it's short, but it's a working progress. Next chapter will be twice as long, okay?**_

_**Next chapter- Shanks and the Crew plus Makino try to figure Luffy!**_

_**Read and Review I update faster if you do! (I'm to update this Wednesday...but I could be tempted to update sooner...)**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.**

**Please Read**: I am _very_ sorry for my late update, and will try harder to update quicker in the future! I could not get in touch with my beta-reader, so I'll post this and hope my own poor attempts at grammar don't stop you from enjoying 'Absolute Confusion chapter 2.

_Thoughts _of characters

Edited: June 3, 2011

_**Chapter 02: Crossing Paths**_

"You're not going to tell him, Ace?" Makino asked staring down at the youth.

Ace shook his head. His face was serious but he wasn't looking at Makino, no he was looking off into the distance watching as Luffy's small form ran off.

He smiled suddenly, "Not now, but I'll tell him...when he's older. He doesn't need to be disappointed again."

Makino nodded. "I understand. I won't say anything either, it's your business...yours and Luffy's." She smiled softly, slightly communicating that the topic was closed." But what are you going to do while Shanks-san is here?"

Ace looked down and scratched the back of his head. The excuse he'd given Luffy earlier was a lie, as he had no errands to do, and the houses as well as the groceries were done.

So what was he going to do?

Finding Shanks was very easy, as the only ship entering the dock was Shanks' huge ship _Armeria (1)._But as Luffy ran closer to the pirate ship; he noticed several oddities about it. For one, the huge ship's head pole was still a bright red, unlike the faded brown one Luffy remembered fondly, and then there were the missing holes from the ship's sides.

Luffy blinked. _'Shanks' ship has finally been fixed...' _

He let the thought trail off as the ship lowered its anchors, and docked, dropping the wooden bridge connecting the ship to the port. Luffy grinned brightly, and pushed the 'suddenness' of the ship's repair towards the back of his mind. He could think about that stuff later, but now Shanks was here.

"Shanks! Mr. First Mate! Lucky!" The named people turned and looked to Luffy smiling and waving. Calls came and yelled greetings in a jumbled mess, that Luffy didn't even try and figure out, but all the same the Straw hat pirate was happy to see, and hear them so happy.

"Well, if it isn't the anchor. What you up to, brat?" Shanks said standing up from his seat, on the captain's chair. The infamous red-haired pirate smiled brightly at Luffy, watching carefully as the future Straw Hat ran up the bridge and onto the ship. No one stopped the native boy from boarding and instead watched with obvious amusement as Luffy ran up to their captain.

Luffy smirked. "I've been looking for you! Makino said you'd arrived." He told them casually. Shanks raised an eyebrow at Luffy's words, something about how he said that sentence sounded off. "Where have you been, Shanks?"

Shanks smiled. "Oh, here and there… Saw a sea king, but that's it. What you doing here?" He motioned to where Luffy was currently standing.

"Making sure you don't get lost again Shanks!" Luffy proudly said taking Shanks' left hand and guiding him to Makino's Tavern. Luffy knew that if he let Shanks go by himself, he wouldn't get to Makino's till later and by then he'd be too drunk to stand.

Shanks laughed and ruffed Luffy's hair. "Sure, you are... I bet you just want to hear more about my adventures."

Luffy shook his head. "Nope."

Shanks raised an eyebrow." So you finally get tired of becoming a pirate?" His smile was a little sad, but kind. He had hoped Luffy would take after him...but whatever Luffy choose to do he'd support him.

"I'm not going be any pirate," Luffy said noticing that Shanks' and his crew were pay full attention to him. "I'm going be King of the Pirates."

Shanks laughed. "Yeah, right you can't even swim, you're an anchor."

"It doesn't matter if I'm an anchor I believe in my nakama (2)." Luffy said glaring hotly. Though Luffy wasn't really mad at Shanks, he knew his friend was just teasing. Shanks was just like that.

Shanks blinked and considered Luffy's words for a few seconds. 'Nakama? He has nakama?' Shanks smiled. Even if it was a bit farfetched Shanks believed Luffy, the anchor didn't lie; hell the red-haired captain doubted Luffy even knew what a lie was. Though Shanks was a bit curious about these nakama of Luffy's...

"Who are your nakama, Luffy?" Luffy looked up at Shanks. It was unusual for the older to call him by his name. Luffy smiled his toothy grin.

"A pirate hunter, a thief who hates pirates, a lying sharpshooter, a cook with a bad attitude, a wanted archaeologist, a living skeleton, an underworld ruling cyborg, a reindeer, and me." Luffy said not noticing that he described his crew instead of naming them. "Hey, there's Makino!"

The future pirate king sped off leaving the crew of the _Armeria_ in his dust.

Ben glanced over at his captain. "A pirate hunter and a thief who hates pirates?"

Mr. First Mate shrugged. "Luffy also said something about a stone reader, a cook with a bad attitude, and some other strange people. What you think cap'n?"

Shanks blinked confused. "Hell if I know what the anchor meant." He said, laughing. "That kid's something else..."

Makino wiped down another table as she waited for Shanks and Luffy to make an appearance. She needed to give the Tavern a quick clean if she wanted to be prepared for the mess that always happened during the 'Great Voyage Toast' Shanks crew had. But regardless of the mess they made she always enjoyed their presence. They were good people, even with the job title of pirates-

"Makino!" An excited voice said running into the tavern.

It was none other than Luffy, and standing right behind him was the infamous Shanks and his crew.

"I see you've arrived on time." She said smiling a few of the men started laughing thinking of the last time they were late.

Luffy smiled his usual grin. "Yeah, I didn't let Shanks take any detours-or get lost!"

"Hey!" Shanks yelled.

The crew laughed, and Makino stepped away to get the pirate crew their usual drinks (beer), and food, while Shanks turned in his chair leaning back to hear a joke one of his crew was saying.

Luffy smiled at the interaction, before turning back to his plate, and finishing off his meal. His steak was as delicious as he remembered at and within seconds everything was gone-.

SMACK.

A small treasure case hit Luffy in the back of his head. White hot pain went though his head and he started rubbing his poor head, unaware of the devil fruit that had fallen onto his plate during the exchange.

"Eat your vegetables," Makino said entering the kitchen with another barrel of alcohol, if she had been paying proper attention she'd would have noticed the devil fruit, that wasn't just any vegetable on Luffy's plate…

Luffy pouted, but did as he was told and picked up the vegetable and swallowing it whole. The vegetable tasted a bit off, but besides that Luffy didn't pay any special attention to it. He finished off his milk, and was about to get Shanks' attention when startled yelling broke out.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S GONE?" He yelled thoroughly angry.

_This is a nightmare…where could that devil fruit have gone… _He thought looking around the tavern, hoping beyond hope that the devil fruit would just reappear on its own. He'd found the empty treasure chest on the floor but no devil fruit.

Shanks waited for something to happen, but nothing did and he was sorely disappointed, and more than slightly worried for the consequences of the person who took and, or ate the forbidden fruit.

SLAM!

The door of the tavern was slammed opened allowing entrance to the offenders, and a group of people entered looked like villains with their clothing stained with dirt and blood. The leader of the group was by far the ugliest of the group and carried an air of alcohol, appearing drunk and in a foul mood only looking for one thing and one thing only-alcohol.

Unfortunately, the Tavern was empty of the poison, and their mission was in vain as Makino told the group that she no longer had any alcohol, or brandy as she just sold the last of her batch to the people in front of her (conveniently leaving out that the so called people were in fact were pirates).

The drunken leader did not take the answer lightly and descended upon Shanks' and his group.

"We demand all the alcohols you have, _now_." The idiot said glaring at one of the Four Pirate Kings with a pathetic look, and an even worst threat.

The villains were mountain bandits, and called themselves 'The Scourge of the Mountains', but their attacks were weaker than any punch Nami through on her worst day. They were lower than scum in Luffy's mind and he severely disliked people like the ones in front of him.

Luffy's glare was very freighting and without realizing he was releasing a small amount of Haki (3) into the air. So far the amount was only enough to put pressure on the bandits but the idiots in all their glory simply brushed off the pressure as heat, and other less dangerous things, so the group of morons did not know how truly close they were to danger when the leader continued glaring at Shanks.

Shanks, a master of Haki took note of the Haki he felt but was unable to get a clear reading from where it was coming from and instead replied to the bandit. "Sorry about that, mate'." He said with a smirk, and he offered up an unopened bottle of liquor. "I'm feeling a little guilty about drinking up all the liquor-why don't you have this? It's unopened."

The bandit acted rashly and broke the bottle of liquor over Shanks head. A move that would forever haunt him...

Luffy's Haki increased and his hidden power burst forward sending a powerful wind shooting through the Tavern as Makino as well as Shanks group looked on in outrage, and concealed anger regarding the actions of the 'feared' mountain bandit. The minions of the Bandit leader immediately went unconscious as Luffy's power reared its wrath at the men. The bandit leader himself was pushed back a few feet, and was shaking slightly from the effort of staying conscious.

The burst of Haki lasted only half a second but the whole atmosphere changed in that moment as Shanks quickly tried to figure out who was the owner of the Haki that sent the mountain bandit to their knees. His task was made difficult as his few conscious crew members made nervous talk as they too recognize what happened. Everyone within the Tavern was confused, except for one (future) pirate who more than figured out was he had done, not that he regretted his actions.

_Where did that Haki come from? _Shanks thought after a minute of eliminating as many people as he thought possible from his list of potential Haki users. Only five people from his own crew could had the Haki he was searching for as everyone else fainted when he was anger (no doubt unable to stand his Haki, and Makino and Luffy were immediately thrown out as even at their angriest did nothing happen. But still, the captain of the Armeria felt like he was missing something.

_Something very obvious...something he should have seen..._

"Cap'n look at them run." Mr. First Mate said laughing at the pathetic sight of the leader dashing away with the few members, the 'Scourge of the Mountains' was able to wake up yet, the looks he was sending at Shanks crew was more enough to say his message.

The bandit wanted revenge.

"Those bandits were pathetic." One of Shanks crew remarked after a couple minutes. "Still what was that blast of wind earlier, it felt like Haki-?" The pirate was cut off in mid-sentence as another answered.

"That was Haki." Shanks said surveying the crew. "A control burst of Haki, as far as I can tell, and it's someone in this room." The Tavern went into silence shock at Shanks words. Makino blinked surprised written all over her face as she considered Shanks words, but she quickly school her face as she move away from the counter and to sink to wash dishes.

_Could it be...? _She wondered sparing a glace over at her smallest patron, before she smiled and shook her head, and pushing the possibility out of her mind._ So what if Luffy had a scary look on his face when that burst of wind happened that didn't mean anything...right?_

She erased the thought from her mind, and went back to the dishes. Still uncertainty lay in her mind, and she wondered...

"Shanks, you're okay, right?" Luffy said breaking through Makino and Shanks thoughts.

Both looked into the concerned eyes of Luffy, and Shanks shook himself off as best as he could and picked up his straw hat off the ground (it had been forgotten in the wake of the unexpected Haki). He smiled weakly at Luffy, and picked up his fork again. "Of course, I am, little anchor. Like a little bottle of Liquor is enough to keep me down." _Or a burst of Haki,_ he thought to himself, never dropping his smile.

Mr. First Mate closely watched Luffy for the rest of evening...

(End of the Chapter)

1- The Armeria was the name I made up for Shanks' ship name, as I found no record of what his ship was actually called...

2- Somehow the word 'friends' just doesn't seem to convey the same amount of attention as 'nakama' does so the rest of the fanfiction I'm going to use this word. It's Japanese and can means a variety of things such as crewmates, friends and so on….

3- A slightly spoiler for later chapters; Haki is the shorten version of Houshou Haki or "King's Ambition" and putting your entire willpower into another person, very similar to the killing intent in Naruto expect that if the person is not strong in willpower or does not possess a decent amount of Haki themselves they faint.

A/N: Sorry about the long wait, my cousin made me (threaten me) to help her write her stories...

_**Next Chapter: Luffy vs. Mountain Bandits and Shanks suspicions...**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine, and never will be.**

**Please Note**: This fan fiction was created before it was established that Ace had met Luffy, so this fan fiction will be incorrect in several places. Do not tell me-I know...just enjoy the story. It will just mess up my plot if I change it...and for some reason my beta has run off (or I've lost her…I can't seem to tell which it is at this point) so be warned-my horrible grammar.

**Important!**There is cursing, and violence, you have been warned.

_Thoughts _of characters

Edited: June 3, 2011

_**Chapter 03: The Link of Change**_

_**The Tavern**_

"Haki…?" Shanks said looking at Luffy again.

The captain of the red-haired pirates still wasn't sure what to make of that revelation, and his thoughts concentrated solely on who could possibly be a carrier of such a rare power—

"Shanks…are you asleep with your eyes open?" Luffy leaned closer to Shanks and poked the older man in the cheek waiting for an answer. He knew Shanks wouldn't do that, not while there was beer present, but he had to ask because the sheer amount of time Shanks had not blinked was something an ordinary person would find difficult to do.

Luffy was quiet for a few seconds, patiently waiting for the other to say something, to explain his strange silence.

This new quieter Shanks, was strange, even when Luffy had met his friend after he had became King of the Pirates, he'd never seen his friend act like this...maybe something was wrong...but what?

'_Did something go wrong on their last adventure?' _Luffy thought looking Shanks straight in the eyes, searching.

"Hey, Cap'n," Ben said stepping forward to help Luffy.

Shanks blinked and turned around barely aware that he hadn't been paying attention. Ben pointed down and Shanks was immediately set his sights on a quiet Luffy looking thoughtful, and worried.

"Are you thinking deep thoughts?" Luffy asked a serious tone coloring his voice, his posture different from usual.

Shanks shook his head, displacing the slightly tense atmosphere that had taken root. "Now, what's this about you being the King of the Pirates? Last time, I came you were still talking about being a pirate on my crew…what changed your mind anchor?

Luffy smiled his toothy grin. "You did. You kept saying I couldn't be pirate…so I'm going to prove you wrong, and find One Piece!"

Determination underlined his words, and his conviction was strong, as everyone in the Tavern was quiet having been silenced sometime during Luffy's speech, which once again made the fearless leader of the Red-Haired Pirate even more confused, as he tried to considered what exactly he might have said to get such a strong reaction from Luffy.

"Shanks…you're better off giving up, what makes sense to Luffy means nothing to us." Ben offered seeing the situation as impossible to figure out, and making his thoughts known to his friend how fruitless his quest to understand Luffy was. It wasn't the first time, the first mate had seen someone try and decipher the anchor, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but the fact of the matter was Luffy just didn't make sense.

Shanks shrugged, not really surprised. "I tried."

"Luffy, would you like more food?" Makino asked breaking into the conversation and handing the time traveler a plate full of food. "There's some leftover meat still." She offered, and instantly Luffy dug into the food placed right in front of him without saying anything. In between his eating he shot Makino a grateful smile, thanking her silent for the food.

Makino smiled. "I knew that would happen. Well, at least I don't have to worry about any food going to waste while you're around, right Luffy?"

Luffy nodded; inhaling everything on the plate in a single bit, barely taking notice at his mouth stretching….of course just because he didn't notice didn't mean a certain captain and his crew didn't...

The silence from before had come back in force, and for a few second, the infamous crew of the Red-Haired Pirates were struck silent by the incredible sight in front of them. Luffy mouth was stretching, and finally the mysterious whereabouts of the Devil Fruit were becoming clear. Shanks blinked a cross between anger, and concern, and jumped up from his seat knowing full well that an ordinary person's mouth did not stretch like rubber, and one missing devil fruit and one hungry Luffy should have spelled trouble in big bold letters.

The bar exploded in yells as everyone else finally understood what Shanks was so quiet over.

"He couldn't have!" They yelled sitting up, letting several plates of food fall to the ground (Luffy glared at them for that. He could just imagine Sanji kicking them if they had done something like in his presence).

"He apparently did!" Shanks yelled back, picking Luffy up from his seat and pushing him next to Lucky Roux. Luffy didn't struggle, and simply let himself be carried, as he tried to figure out was his friend was making such a big deal over this.

So what if he gained his powers back? It was just something normal. He reached across the table and snatched some food from Lucky Roux's plate as well as the other plates at the table, and calmly sat there eating.

"Luffy did you eat this fruit?" Lucky asked quickly sketching a picture of the Devil Fruit for Luffy and showing the smaller pirate.

Luffy nodded. "Yes, I did." He said before returning to his food, uninterested to the various reactions from his favorite pirates.

Shanks on the other hand, was freaking out and didn't see Luffy's nod but he did smacked his face hearing Luffy's word of "Yes, I did", and immediately moved forward and placing Luffy on his lap and trying to figure how exactly he was going to explain to his small anchor what eating a Devil Fruit meant.

Luffy was thankfully done with his meal, and glanced up at Shanks.

"Because of that cursed fruit, you wouldn't ever be able to swim for the rest of your life, if you fall into the sea you'll drown." Shanks' said waiting for the streams of tears to come, and he wasn't the only one-many of the members within Shanks crew looked ready to bolt at the first sign of tears, and Ben himself sighed thinking how incredibly blunt, and tactless his captain was when it came to Luffy.

Seconds passed... and Luffy said nothing, nodding. He looked around, and to the immense surprise of the Red-Haired crew simply patted Shanks on the head before turning away. "I knew that already, Shanks...I've got to go now, my brother's waiting for me!" He said waving bye, and running out before anyone could say a word.

Shanks blinked and looked at Ben trying and failing to find words to describe how...strange it was that Luffy did not freaky about finding out the consequences of gaining the powers from the Devil Fruit.

Heck, just last week the little anchor had been seem working hard trying to learn to swim-and yet today, he didn't make a fuss when he learned he'd never swim.

It was odd.

Ben scratched his head. "Hell if I know...Luffy's something else."

XXXXXX

_**Market Place, Windmill Island**_

Finding Ace was far harder than Luffy had first anticipated as thirty-minutes into his search for his older brother. He checked in all of Ace's usual hiding spots including the Library, and the Market Square, as well as the little cliff near the forest yet he still couldn't find his brother. He had asked around, and was surprised to learn that his brother had been in the town since yesterday-something that didn't make any sense to the Straw Hat Captain.

'_Ace had said he had some errands to run...so then why...?'_ Luffy thought, before something occurred to him. He had check home yet.

Knowing his big brother, he probably had fallen asleep doing cleaning or something, and just wasn't aware he had left yet.

Luffy smiled how true that was when he considered Ace's last two attempts to go grocery shopping. Luffy ran quickly, excited again to see his brother, even though he had seen him only a few hours ago. He sped up happily, and raced out of the town, heading to their house at the other end of the island. For as long as he could remember, he (and later Ace) had lived in that house at the edge of the island, and although he had never knew, or asked why when he was younger. He knew why now.

Both he and Ace weren't supposed to be alive; Ace was still being hunted by the Marines, while he was a secret.

In the distance he could make out the outline of his house, and as he neared his home, he noticed the door open.

Someone was home.

XXXXXX

_**Southeastern Edge of Windmill Island, Forest**_

Meanwhile, Ace looked up to the sky as he sat in a tree branch high off the ground. He was about ten feet from the entrance of the Windmill Forest, and although it had been almost two hours since he had sat down, he still didn't feel like returning to town, or even going home. He'd fallen asleep once climbing up, and had fallen off hitting his head, waking up, but nothing, not even sleep seemed to distract him.

He glanced back in the direction of the village wondering what sort of mischief Luffy was getting up to. Knowing his little brother he was probably still off bothering Shanks' and his crew, asking excitedly for stories about their adventures. It was the sort of thing he imagined Luffy would, and later probably when they sat down to dinner he was more than likely going to hear about from his younger brother.

He smiled faintly.

His brother was always full of joy (excluding the time when Garp showed up) and although Luffy didn't quite understand everything that went on around him, he was sensitive in way other people weren't. Ace could faintly remember when he had first meet his brother-he had ignored the other so fiercely, and set out to completely make the younger boy cry, but instead, he found himself Luffy's friend, and eventually his older brother after the _accident_.

Ace's eyes darken thinking about it.

It had been his fault what happened, and yet Luffy was the one to suffer-

CRACK.

Ace bolted up from his seat silently hiding behind some of the huge piles of leaves on his branch as he noticed a large imposing shadow pass never his spot. Down on the forest floor, pair of scruff men were arguing in loud voices, causing nearby birds to take into flight to get away. Even from his spot high above them, Ace could distantly smell the vial smell of alcohol from the two.

It was two drunken idiots that had stumbled into the forest, and Ace sighed moving out from his hiding spot. If he didn't do something soon, those two were going to end up as food. This forest was no place for the stupid, and weak. Ace moved silently, knowing that even if he did make noise, the two below him were too intoxicated to notice.

He crept closer about to make himself know when some of the words become clear.

"...stupid brat..." One of the men said taking a drink from his bottle. "He...fucking thought he could stop us."

The other man nodded. "...but we showed him...he was a pathetic bastard..."

Ace stopped in his tracked. Listen intently; hoping beyond hope that no he knew had gotten hurt. He leaned against the tree, hidden in its shadow. If those idiot did anything to Luffy-

"..Mouthy brat kept saying it was his home...it his own fucking fault for living out there in the middle of nowhere in a house full of grog..." The first said again.

Ace's blood ran cold.

There was only one house that contained alcohol, aside from Makino's Tavern. None of the other shops carried beer, and often when he was cleaning or when Garp came home there were always beer, stacked high in shelves all over the kitchen.

Red hot fury coursed through Ace, normally he was a very polite person, but these assholes had crossed the line, they could get lost in the forest for all he cared. Ace moved away from the tree, and stepped out into the light.

_'Hold on Luffy.'_ Ace thought. _'I'm coming.'_

XXXXX

_**East Edge of Windmill, Luffy's House**_

Feet turned into inches, and Luffy stepped in his house, and into the disaster zone. Along all the shelves, bottles of alcohol and beer were taken down and scattered everywhere, unlike the sight of clutter he knew to be the kitchen every single alcoholic beverage was empty or missing. Luffy moved through the kitchen, confused-did his grandpa make a surprise visit or something?

It was hard to tell-

There was noise coming from other rooms, and Luffy walked faster. It sounds nothing like Ace, or like his grumpy grandpa, it sound like the Tavern when it was full of people being drunk, Luffy neared the doorway of the kitchen and glance around the corner. There before him were no less than ten men all causing a racket, and destroying his home. Chairs, and sofas were a mess, and other books were thrown to the floor in a warp representation of a child's messy room.

Luffy's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight.

It was the mountain bandits from earlier!

Luffy gripped the wall that led into the Living Room, and moved back keeping his arms gripping the wall tightly. Even at this point his powers were shaky, and it wasn't like he'd be able to do anything too complicated. His arms were stretched as far as he could go in the hallway, and he waited for the precise moment that all the man were gathered together.

He knew once he attacked he'd be at a disadvantage, so he needed to knock as many of the man as possible. The man was walking around in a drunken stupor, and the leader was loudest. They were talking about nonsense things, that as the other members of the group obviously understood, but that to Luffy, weren't comprehensible.

_Now!_ Luffy thought letting himself fly forward with the acceleration from sling shooting himself.

He slammed into the drunken bandits causing almost every single bandit to slam into the walls, many of whom were knock unconscious by the impacted. Unfortunately several bandits got off with only bruise or just having the wind knocked of them, and six of them stood ready for leader was among them having missed most of the attack by being already seated.

Luffy got to his feet slowly, his limbs still throbbing slightly from the stress of using his new powers. The bandits surrounded Luffy, fists raised. He was still tired from using his Haki earlier, and his devil fruit powers were difficult to use. He needed to defeat them, but how?

They crowded around him, moving closer, fists raised. The man on his left was fastest, nearly hitting Luffy as he slid under his fist, and kicked him hard. He didn't get up.

Five more to go…

Another two men on either side of him were drunk out of their minds, crashing into each other as Luffy moved out of their line of sight. Neither moved from ground, giant bruises on top of their head.

Three left...

"You little bastard!" One of them yelled from behind Luffy.

Luffy slid, stretching out a foot, tripping the man, making him crash into a nearby wall knocking himself out. The Straw hat looked around; the last of the bandits unsheathed their swords. Their stance was sloppy, and held none of the grace or form that Zoro's had. Luckily, for Luffy, both were still feeling the effects of the beer, and would be easier to take down-

SLAM!

Every window in the house was thrown open as powerful gusts of wind beat against the house. Luffy shielded his face, while strangle enough the bandits were being tossed around from wall to wall. The fallen forms of the knocked out man were shot of the house through the open door, cleaning the house of their filth, the wind dying down, just as suddenly as it came.

Luffy lowered his hands, his suspicions raised.

Only man had the power to control the wind-

"LUFFY!" A frantic voice called interrupting Luffy's thoughts.

The door behind him slammed open once more and there in the doorway was the future fire fist. He looked winded, and was panted slightly. His clothes were ruffed, and covered in dirt-no doubt from falling asleep in mid-run. And yet, the look of pure worry on his older brother's face was what surprised the Straw Hat Captain.

He had only seen Ace with that expression twice.

XXXXX

_**Twenty Minutes Ago, the Tavern**_

About a mile away at the docks a similar situation was repeating itself...

It was half pasted ten, and the crew of the famous 'Red-Hair' Shanks was still partying away. Trays after trays of food were passed around; most of being eaten while some remained on their plates, still waiting. Alcoholic drinks were long gone, forcing the crew to turn to more tame versions of ginger ale, and soda, smile unaffected by the absence of their favorite drink.

"Makino! Mayor!" A door hit the wall. A panicked townsman entered, tired and out of breath. "The bandits-they were sighted near Luffy's house! One of the neighbors saw Luffy enter a couple of minutes ago-I heard loud shouting, and racket coming from it!"

Silence, and then as one the pirate crew stood, none as freighting than the expression on Shanks' face.

Those bandits were going to regret missing with one of Shanks' friends.

XXXXX

Off in the distance, the lights in the D. House were flickering, the door wide open, and mess everywhere.

Shanks stepped inside prepared for the worse, and his eyes met that of a ruined Living Room, with two small boys sitting on a worn couch. Ace was wrapping bandages around Luffy's arms, where various scratches, cuts and dark bruises littered him. The bandits were lying in discarded piles around the room, and broken bottles, and glass covered the floor.

"Remove the bandits." Shanks said quietly, his voiced layered with an angry undertone, not even Luffy could miss.

Silently, the pirate crew entered throwing, and kicking the bandits out, piling them together, as they were tied up. Ben remained with his captain watching the D. brothers, while the others dragged off the mountain bandits.

Ace didn't look up once, and replaced the medical supplies, and walked away presumably to clean up, leaving Luffy alone with the two men.

"Shanks!" Luffy said running toward him, smiling though it looked more like a grimace than anything else.

His arms ached profusely, and his eyes blinked tiredly. He hadn't expected to see Shanks again until tomorrow, and the fact he was here with his crew, to see the bandits, was something he hoped to keep secret. Last time...Shanks had lost his arm; he didn't want that to happen again...

"Did you get lost-?"

"No." Shanks said interrupting him, stepping closer to his little friend to pick up one of Luffy's arms to expect the damage infected. "Did _they_ do this?" He asked his voice like steel, cutting and without mercy.

Luffy yanked back his hand, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Nope." He told him smiling brightly. "I was just using learning to use my gum-gum powers."

Shanks blinked. "WHAT?"

XXXXX

Glancing in, Monkey D. Dragon smiled faintly, his face going blank once more as he moved on...

"He's like you, Catalina."

XXXXX

_**Author's note; this chapter was so stupidly hard, it's not even funny, and I deserve any flames, and daggers from my readers-so do your worst...though on a happier note, after the next chapter, I will start on Luffy's real journey-so be prepared...**_

_**Please Review and tell me what you think...**_


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